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On April 13, Kobe Bryant is playing his final game as an NBA player. The match-up against the Utah Jazz may be the final act of a long and illustrious basketball career, but it's definitely not the last we'll see of the man who calls himself the Black Mamba. Much like the way Michael Jordan lives on beyond the court as a Jumpman logo, so too will Bryant's legend continue in sneakers and video games. How do I know this? Well, besides the rather predictable nature of sport celebrity and brand behavior, we have two shiny new ads that tell us as much.

Both Nike and 2K Sports are saluting the LA Lakers star with ads to air during tonight's game. But Nike's actually named today Black Mamba Day, with a social mobile Mamba Day tribute generator, and a special auction of limited edition, signed Kobe gear on eBay to benefit The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. The Swoosh's spot, by Wieden+Kennedy Portland, features Bryant as a conductor leading a serenade of haters and fans, including Phil Jackson, Paul Pierce, and Rasheed Wallace actually singing.